Before you get to Pinnacle Mountain State Park, you'll more than likely pass Natural Steps. This tiny farming community resides about 19 miles northwest of Little Rock. Arkansas definitely has its share of disturbing accounts and paranormal activity but Natural Steps is peculiar. Let's delve deeper into Natural Steps' chilling history of tribal burial grounds, blood-shedding battles, and a tragic ghost story.
The first of the several sinister and paranormal legends at Natural Steps begins with a 1932 archaeology expedition (lead by staff from the U of A). Fifty-seven Native American burials were discovered, belonging to Quapaw and Caddo tribes. Ancient fort ruins support the theory of a bloody battle as well.
Although a pleasant farming community now, The Natural Steps has its share of negative energy. Supposedly the area was a rendezvous point for bushwhackers (illegitimate Confederate guerrilla) as well as the KKK.
In the late 1800s, the Natural Steps river bank was center stage in the Battle of Palarm, part of the Brooks-Baxter War. A passing flatboat delivering arms was intercepted by Brooks loyalists. The boat’s captain, pilot, and a rifleman were killed.
The town swelled and shrunk during the century. The Baptist church (established in 1913 and later rebuilt), cemetery, and Mainard House are all that remain of the original community.
According to local historians (and by that we mean the seasoned elders that live in the area), Jesse James and his gang spent the night in a nearby log house in preparation of robbing a stage coach in Benton.
The most sinister story is that of the Natural Steps Ghost. A woman in white can be seen in the cemetery on the darkest nights of late October.
The woman is believed to be Martha Sanders, an ill-fortuned bride. In the late 1800s, she was to be married to Gustavus Sanders.
The two were married on the top of the natural steps but regrettably Gustavus died from disease days later. He was buried right outside of the old church.
Her routine begins in the northeast corner where the original church was located before it burned down. She then heads into the woods towards the Natural Steps, down to the Arkansas River and then disappears.
After the funeral of her husband, Martha simply disappeared. It was believed that she jumped to her death from the Natural Steps into the river.
Have you seen Martha roam the Natural Steps graveyard? What's the spookiest Arkansas legend you've heard of?
If you could use a stiff drink after that creepiness then you should head to this cider mill.
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